2014

The social media world is dynamic. It’s transforming at a fast pace. Several new trends emerge and older ones are replaced. Many old trends continue to be important for several years. So, it’s important to have a look at the major trends that played an important role in the social media world in 2014 to understand the platform’s dynamics.

Last week another hashtag went awry. In an attempt at levity, FOX & Friends launched a campaign to ring out the old year using the hashtag #Overit2014. And while many of us in the social media world already know to be wary of backfiring hashtags if you are a controversial organization, the wiz-kids at FOX & Friends apparently do not. In response to their hashtag, Twitter erupted with tweets that blasted FOX News and the conservative movement it champions (and a week later, the eruption continues, still). This prompted me to take a deeper look at the political and advocacy hashtags of 2014.

Looking for a short, sweet recap of a year in social media? This concise social media infographic includes the key points you need to know in order to understand the state of social media in 2014. As we look ahead to another year of growth and change, let’s reflect on where we’ve been over the last few months.

2014 was a year of the Winter Olympics, World Cup, Ebola, Conchita, Rosetta, the Ice Bucket Challenge, Robin Williams, Flappy Birds, the Selfie, the iPhone 6 and the Scottish Independence Referendum – or at least that is according to the Google Trends Guide of 2014.

Businesses often have entire teams dedicated to social media marketing, and use multiple platforms and techniques to reach their target audience. If an advert hits that sweet spot and goes viral, it can totally transform a brand. That’s why marketers have started to cater specifically for the social media scene and no longer treat it as an after-thought. We’ve seen some impressive social media campaigns this year – but here are some of the best.

With the advent of a new year, a lot of things change; new trends emerge for different platforms. 2014 will bring about significant changes in the way social media helps businesses advance. New trends will emerge and these will come in handy in the long run to help your business proper significantly.

CES takes up the North, South and Central Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center and trying to see everything there is a near impossibility -- but that doesn't stop anyone. However, this year I discovered the Eureka zone deep in the Venetian Hotel's Sands Expo convention center.

The pace of change is accelerating. Last year, most Chief Marketing Officers faced the tasks of making significant changes to how marketing operates. Soaking in one buzzword after another as they try to make sense of the changing world swirling around them. While the whirlwind of change will continue, CMOs will begin to sharpen their focus.

We all know there’s more to social media marketing than simply broadcasting our clever messages in hopes of motivating our fans to an action of some kind. Luckily, forward thinkers give us resources to evolve the way we use digital media to accomplish our goals.